CGE 654

Well
Completion

Material Selection

Faculty of Chemical Engineering

Outlines
Materials for well completion equipment

Engineering standards
Material selection requirements and criteria
Types of materials
Materials failure
Corrosion management and methods of prevention

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Material Selection
Introduction
Proper selection of completion materials is a key
factor in ensuring completion longevity.
Selection of material is particularly critical where
tubing, casing and other well-completion
components are exposed to corrosive conditions.
Several specifications and standards have been
developed for material description and selection for
well completions.
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Material Selection
Materials for well completion equipment
Tubulars
Carbon steel
Stainless steel (13Cr, 22Cr, Inconel)
Special alloys
Composite materials (GRE, Fiber glass)

Elastomer and Rubber Elements

Nitrile compound
Proprietary Elastomer (Aflas, Viton, Chemrez, Kalrez etc.)

Thermoplastic (Ryton, Teflon etc.)

Ceramic

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Material Selection
Materials selection requirements
Materials selection should be optimized and provide acceptable
safety and reliability.
Requirements??

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Material Selection
Corrosivity
Access for
maintenance
and repair

During start up and

shut-down
conditions

Design life and

system
availability
requirements

Requirements
Inspection
and corrosion
monitoring
Resistance to
brittle fracture

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Failure
probabilities,
failure modes and
failure
consequences

Material Selection
Material selection criteria
Material selection criteria for oilfield equipment:
Mechanical properties (function)
Operating environment

Cost
Availability

These categories relate to the

selection of metals,
elastomers and plastics used
in construction of downhole
tools and equipment.

Stock size and shape

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Material Selection
Standards for Materials
AISI classifications (American Iron and Steel Institute)
API Standard (American Petroleum Institute)
ASTM Standard (American Society for Testing and
Materials)
ASME Code Specifications (American Society of
Mechanical Engineers)
NACE Publications (National Association of Corrosion
Engineers)
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Material Selection
Materials Standards and Specifications

AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute)

system using 4 or 5 digits

first two digit -----> metallic alloy or alloy
last two digits ----> percentage of carbon
e.g:
AISI 1040 = plain carbon steel with carbon content of 0.37 0.44%
AISI 4340 = 1.8% nickel, 0.80% chromium with carbon 0.375 0.44%

API (American Petroleum Institute)

the standard number "5" in titles refers to tubular goods (5A, 5AX, 5AC)
'5L' covers various grades of pipeline (5L, 5LX, 5LS)

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Material Selection
Materials Standards and specifications(cont)
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)
cover all metals and alloys include specifications, methods of tests,
recommended practices

NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers)

guide in selecting corrosion resistant metallic materials for oilfield applications

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Material Selection
Materials Standards and specifications(cont)
The equipment for standard use - usually complies with API L80 regulation.

The API L-80 also applies to corrosive or acidic environments,

but does not take temperature into account.
Temperature has a great influence on the behaviour of nonmetallic materials such as, for example, elastomers.

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Material Selection
Materials Standards and specifications(cont)
Elastomers materials deteriorate over time at temperatures
above 275C, and lose all sealing capacity.
Special steels that do not come under the API categories are
used in hostile environments that require high mechanical
resistance or resistance to hydrogen sulphide.

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CGE 654
Well
Completion

Tubular

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Material Selection
Metals
Nearly all metals and alloys exhibit a crystalline structure
Strength - they are rarely used in engineering application
Alloys, a combination of several elemental metals are stronger
with more engineering usefulness.

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Material Selection
Steels

Is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content

between 0.2% and 2.04% by weight, depending on grade.

Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron,

but various other alloying elements are used such as
manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten.

Carbon and other elements act as a hardening agent,

preventing dislocations in the iron atom crystal lattice from
sliding past one another.

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Material Selection

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Material Selection
Cast Iron

Alloys of iron and carbon with a percentage of carbon over

2% are known as cast iron.

These alloys also have higher silicon content than steel.

Commonly used grades of cast iron in packers and

accessories are gray iron (i.e. class 40 with tensile strength of
40,000 psi) and ductile iron.

Ductile iron is used in applications in which higher strength

and ductility are required (e.g., grade 80-55-6 will have a
80,000 psi tensile strength, 55,000 psi yield strength and 6%
elongation).

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Material Selection
Stainless Steel
Steel will quickly rust in the presence of moisture and oxygen.
The addition of chromium gives steel the stainless quality.
Stainless steel must contain approximately 12% chromium or
more.
Stainless steel is classified by AISI based on its microstructure.
The 200 and 300 series stainless steels are austenitic, while
the 400 series are ferritic or martensitic.
There are several grades in each class.

Stainless steel is often used due to its resistance to weight

loss corrosion in a CO2 environment.
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Material Selection

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Material Selection
Nickle Based Alloy
Monel consists of approximately 70% nickel and 30% copper
and exhibits good resistance against H2S (except at high
temperatures), CO2, O2, and chloride corrosion while
maintaining a high degree of ductility and strength.

Inconels consist of nickel and chromium and are very resistant

to corrosion. The 200 series are pure nickel alloys, 400 and 500
series are nickel-copper alloys such as monel. The 600 and 700
series are nickel chrome alloys such as Inconels, while 800 and
900 series are nickel iron alloys.

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Material Selection
Miscellaneous Alloys and Coatings
Due to the shortages and limitations of many H2S service alloys, various
other metal compounds are being used for equipment manufacture.
Hasteloy a nickel and molybdenum alloy.
Highly corrosion resistant.
Stellites cobalt, chromium and tungsten alloys.
For anti wear application.
Colomonoys nickel and boron alloys.
For anti wear coating.
Cemented carbides containing tungsten carbide.
For anti wear coating.

All of the above alloys are resistant to H2S corrosion

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Material Selection

General comparison of materials used in downhole completion components

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CGE 654
Well
Completion

Elastomer and rubber elements

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Material Selection
Elastomer

Elastomer - polymer with the property of elasticity.

Derived from elastic polymer,
Often used interchangeably with the term rubber, and is preferred when referring to
vulcanisates.

Each of the monomers which link to form the polymer is usually made of
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and/or silicon.

At ambient temperatures rubbers are thus relatively soft and deformable.

Their primary uses are for seals, adhesives and molded flexible parts.

ASTM definition of 'elastomer'

" a polymer material which at room temperature can be stretched to at least twice its
original length and upon immediate release of the stress will return quickly to
approximately its original length "

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Material Selection
Elastomer

A is a schematic drawing of an unstressed

polymer. The dots represent cross-links.
B is the same polymer under stress. When the
stress is removed, it will return to the A
configuration.

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Material Selection
Examples of Elastomers
Unsaturated rubbers that can be cured by sulfur vulcanization:
Natural Rubber (NR)
Synthetic Polyisoprene (IR)
Butyl Rubber(copolymer of isobutylene and isoprene, IIR)
Halogenated butyl rubbers (Chloro Butyl Rubber: CIIR; Bromo
Butyl Rubber: BIIR)
Polybutadiene (BR)
Styrene-butadiene Rubber (copolymer of polystyrene and polybutadiene, SBR)
Nitrile Rubber (copolymer of polybutadiene and acrylonitrile,
NBR), also called Buna N rubbers

Hydrogenated Nitrile Rubbers (HNBR) Therban and Zetpol

Chloroprene Rubber (CR), polychloroprene, Neoprene, Baypren, etc.

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Material Selection
Examples of Elastomers(cont)
Saturated Rubbers that cannot be cured by sulfur vulcanization:
EPM (ethylene propylene rubber, a copolymer of ethylene and propylene) and
EPDM rubber (ethylene propylene diene rubber, a terpolymer of ethylene,
propylene and a diene-component)
Epichlorohydrin rubber (ECO)
Polyacrylic rubber (ACM, ABR)

Silicone rubber (SI, Q, VMQ)

Fluorosilicone Rubber (FVMQ)
Fluoroelastomers (FKM, and FEPM) Viton, Tecnoflon, Fluorel, Aflas and Dai-El
Perfluoroelastomers (FFKM) Tecnoflon PFR, Kalrez, Chemraz, Perlast
Polyether Block Amides (PEBA)

Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (CSM), (Hypalon)

Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA)

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Material Selection
Examples of Elastomers(cont)
Various other types of elastomers:
Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), for example Elastron, etc.
Thermoplastic Vulcanizates (TPV), for example Santoprene TPV
Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)
Thermoplastic Olefins (TPO)
The proteins resilin and elastin
Polysulfide Rubber

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Material Selection
Elastomers
Highly saturated nitriles
Highly or Fully Saturated Nitrile Rubbers are designed specifically
for applications with H2S production or high temperatures.
Most elastomers are cured using a sulfur vulcanization process,
exposure to H2S downhole results in the further hardening and the
eventual failure of the elastomer.
Produced by selectively saturating (hydrogenating) most of the
butadiene portion of the acrylonitrile-butadiene polymer.

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CGE 654
Well
Completion

Corrosion

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Material Selection
Corrosion
Corrosion is defined as the destruction of a metal by a chemical or
electrochemical reaction.
Corrosion occurs when a metal in contact with water forms a
corrosion cell.
The corrosion cell has four components,

the aqueous phase (water) which acts as an electrolyte

(through which ions migrate)
an anode on the metal surface (where the metal is oxidized and
goes into solution as metal ions),
a cathode (where excess electrons are consumed) and
a metallic path connecting the cathode to the anode.
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Material Selection
Corrosion

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Material Selection
Corrosion
How??? Why???
Corrosion is the electromechanical reaction of metal or metal alloy
due to reaction with its environment
Pure metals do not exist in nature, only as ores or oxides of metal; the
most stable state

Corrosion is the reversion of the pure metal to its stable state (ore)

For iron/steel in seawater:

Anodic reaction :

Fe Fe2+ + 2e

Cathodic reaction :

O + 4e + 2H2O 4OH

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Material Selection
Corrosion
How??? Why???
Corrosion cells are created on metal surfaces in contact with an
electrolyte because of energy differences between the metal and the
electrolyte.
Different area on the metal surface could also have different potentials
with respect to the electrolyte.
These variations could be due to i) metallurgical factors, i.e.,
differences in their composition, microstructure, fabrication, and field
installations, and ii) environmental factors. Carbon and low alloy steels
are the most widely used material in the oilfield.
Stainless steels (Fe-Cr-Ni), and nickel-base corrosion resistant alloys
(CRA), such as Incoloys (Ni-Fe-Cr), Inconels (Ni-Cr), Hastelloys (Ni-CrMo-Fe-Co) etc., are also used in highly corrosive environments.
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Material Selection
Types of corrosion
Uniform corrosion
Uniform removal of metal from a surface
May be observed in tubing and sucker rods
Acidizing treatment

Galvanic corrosion
Occurs when two dissimilar metals are connected electrically and are in contact with
an electrolyte solution
Eg: When a new section of pipe is added to an older section. The new pipe becomes
anodic and corrodes preferentially.

Intergranular corrosion
Localized corrosion along grain (metals&alloy) boundaries

Dealloying
Occurs when one or more components of an alloy are more susceptible to corrosion
than the rest.
Eg: The removal of zinc from brass, known as dezincification.

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Material Selection
Types of corrosion(cont)
Crevice and pitting corrosion
Crevice corrosion - occur in crevices (stagnant, shielded areas) such as those formed under
gaskets, washers, insulation material, fastener heads, surface deposits, disbonded coatings,
threads, lap joints and clamps.
Pitting corrosion - "self nucleating" crevice corrosion, starting at occluded cells.

Environmentally induced cracking

Occur when a susceptible alloy is under tensile stress in a corrosive environment.
Elements: tensile stress, corrosive environment, susceptible alloy

Hydrogen damage
Brittle mechanical fracture caused by penetration and diffusion of atomic hydrogen into the
crystal structure of an alloy
Occurs in corrosive environment under constant tensile stress

Erosion corrosion
Also known as flow-enhanced corrosion
Takes place in flowing systems where turbulence occurs, typically in pipe bends (elbows), tube
constrictions, and other structures that alter flow direction or velocity.
Mechanism - The continual flow of water, which removes any protective film or metal oxide
from the metal surface.

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Material Selection
Types of corrosion(cont)

Crevice Corrosion of a Titanium Flange

Screws Showing Crevice Corrosion

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Types of corrosion(cont)

Corrosion Product Accumulation

Schematic of an actively growing pit in iron

Pitting Corrosion of Tube Wall

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Material Selection
Cost of corrosion
Plant Downtime

Loss of Product

Loss of Efficiency

Contamination

Over design

Environmental Issues

Health and Safety

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Material Selection
Legislation
(Legal Liability)
Prudent
Operator

Ensure Asset
Integrity
Corrosion
Management

Ensure Health
and Safety

Manage
production

Maintenance

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Material Selection
Coatings

Alloying
(metallurgy).

Methods of
prevention

Cathodic
protection
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Inhibitors

Material Selection
Coatings

Inorganic, organic or
metallic coatings alter the
corrosion process by
changing the nature of the
metal solution interface.

Provide a temporary barrier

to the solution / metal
reaction interface.

Inhibitors

Alloying (metallurgy)

Another method of
corrosion control - any
chemical that reduces the
tendency for corrosion.

Cathodic protection is

effective in many situations

except for H2S corrosion
and CO2 corrosion.

Eg: oxygen scavengers,

passivators, biocides, etc.,
are all included.

Can alter the corrosion

environment reacting with
the corrodents, by forming a
transient barrier or by
changing the local potential
of the metal surface to a

more noble potential.

Cathodic protection of
metals is simply the addition
of direct current applied to a
metal in reverse of the
natural flow (the anode
becomes the cathode, the
cathode becomes the
anode).

The resulting current (if

sufficient) makes metal loss
impossible.

It must be remembered that

all these coatings are
permeable to water,
chlorides, hydrogen, and
other gases such as CO2 and
H2S.
Thus coating represent a
temporary although often
sufficient solution to
corrosion problems.

Cathodic Protection

Organic and inorganic

inhibitors (anodic, cathodic,
anodic/cathodic,
neutralising). Adsorption
Inhibitors (Primary and
Polysubstituted Mono
Amines, Amides,
Imidazolines, Quaternary
Ammonium , Compounds)

Physical characteristics
solubility, emulsion,
foaming, compatibility,
thermal stability.

Selection of inhibitors
static corrosion test, wheel
test, flow test, misc tests.

The formation of hydrogen

gas at the metal surfaces
further protects them from
chemical attack. The
resulting anode is sacrificed
to the system by migration
into the surrounding soils.

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Alloying is the processing of

mix two or more kinds of
metals together (at least
one kind of metal needed)
to get better characteristics
than sole metal.

Substitute and alloy with

greater corrosion resistance
for the alloy that has
corroded.
Alloying element (Metallic
or non-metallic elements
such as aluminum, boron,
chromium, cobalt, copper,
manganese, nickel, silicon,
titanium, tungsten,
vanadium, zirconium, added
in specified or standard
amounts to a basae-metal to
make an alloy).
Alloying elements have the
capability to block slip
panes.

Material Selection
Example: Material selection for well

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